Vegetable and fruit peeler



Feb. 24,1948, F, #Rg g 2,436,562

VEGETABLE AND FRUIT PEELER Filed Sept. 20, "1345 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 was/2% ATTORNEY Feb. 24, 1948. F. FREITAG 2,436,562

VEGETABLE AND FRUIT PEELER Filed Sept. 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 '&

N Q a lg) M/l/E NTOR FRITZ FRE/TAG I Wham ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 2%, 1948 UNITED ST TES PATENTTOFFICE 2,436,562 VEGETABLE AND FRUIT PEELER Fritz Freitag, Zurich, Switzerland Application September 20, 1945, Serial No. 617,477

Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires July 3, 1963 7 Claims. (Cl. 14 643) This invention relates to a practical and efficient device for peeling potatoes and paring the peel from fruits and vegetables. It provides a half-automatic machine, which quantities of potatoes, for example, to be peeled quickly and cleanly in a time and labour savi way.

An object of the invention is to provide a peeler which will not only insure universal application to any kind of fruit, potatoes, etc., but also simplify generally the construction of such machines so as to bring down the manufacturing costs to the very lowest possible limit.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a vegetable peeler of greater efficiency and smiplified design wherein the instrumentalities are of such a nature and so arranged that a large amount of mechanism is eliminated and new and useful functions result.

A further object of the invention is to provide a peeler having a skewer and a cutter, both of which are driven from a single spindle.

The accompanying drawings show various constructions of the device according to the invention in schematic diagrams.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are views from the side, front and top of a first constructional form of the invention;

Figs. 4 and 5 show details and sections according to lines IVIV and VV in Fig, 1;

Figs. 6 and 7 are side and front elevations of a second constructional form of the invention;

Figs. 8 and 9 show sections on lines VI--VI of Fig. 6 and VII-VII of Fig. 7; and

Figs. 10 to show details.

The drawings show a frame I, which can be fixed to a table by aid of a clamp 2. The frame I carries a gear-box 3 with a wheel-set, driven by a crank which Wheel set operates a shaft 5. The skewer 6 which is exchangeably mounted on shaft 5 revolves durin operative work and carries the article to be peeled or pared. The frame I is provided with an extension I. The latter is equipped with a friction-disc 8, operated by means of a worm gearing from the crank 4. The friction disc 8 is pressed, on one side, against an arm 9 which thus is yieldingly coupled to the wheel I of the worm gearing. The free end of arm 9 carries a pivot pin I4 extending parallel to the axis of rotation of wheel I. A joint piece I3 is rotatable about pivot pin it. A link I5 engages in the joint piece I3 from opposite sides and extends underneath and along arm 9 when the joint piece It is midway between the limits it can oscillate about the pivot I4.

allows large 2 of the link I5 is provided With a longitudinal slot I 6 into which engages a guide pin I1 secured .to the frame I and spaced from the axis of wheel I a distance shorter than the length of arm 9. The ends of link I5 which engage the joint piece I3 serve as axles for a lever Ill carrying the peeling knife II. A spring I2 restrains the movement of lever It in relation toarm 9.

Now it will be clear that lever II! will turn about the axis of gear wheel I when the latter turns in the one or other. direction during the operation of the machine Simultaneously, the lever III will also turnabout pivot. I4 owing to the link I'5 in engagement with the stationary guide pin II.

In consequence, thecutting knife II will be rotated about-an angle A-IB (Fig. 3) over the surface of the fruit to be peeled. The connection of the knife lever I!) to the link I5 in combination with spring I2 allows the knife to follow the circumference of the fruit, and as the lever I0 is supported by the ends of the link I5, the knife I I is kept in an approximately tangential position to the circumference of the article to be peeled. One potato having been peeled (position B, Fig. 3) the arm 9 is brought back to the starting position (A) by hand. Thereby the knife is again placed in such position that it touches the surface of the next piece to be peeled.

In Figs. 6 to 15 the various parts that coopcrate in the same manner are marked by the same members. A difference exists in this case insofar as the lever I 0, supplied with a handle, carries the knife in a guide 8. Various blades can be inserted in the aforementioned guide. The examples are'shown in Figs. 10 to 15.

The knife 20 shown in Figs. 10-12 and suitable for peeling or paring vegetables with a smooth, even surface is fixed to a tapered bracket 22 by means of a screw 2|.

In contrast to the knife shown in Figs. 10 to 12 the Figs. 13-15 show a type of knife suitable for peeling vegetables and fruit with indented surfaces and recesses.

In Figs. 13-15 the body of the knife is fixed by a screw to the wedge-shaped support 22 and is equipped with a hood 23 acting as a guide. This hood 23 raises the knife 24 from the cavities and hollows of the fruits.

What I wish to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a fruit or vegetable peeler the combination of a rotatable skewer, a lever arm pivoted about an axis crossing the skewer axis at right angles, a knife-carrying arm, and a joint pi c The extension connecting said lever arm and said knife-carrying arm, said joint piece being pivoted on said lever arm, and said knife-carrying arm being pivoted on said joint piece about an axis at right angles to the pivot axis about which said joint piece is turnable in relation to said lever arm.

2. In a fruit or vegetable peeler the combination ota rotatable skewer, a .lever .arm pivoted about an axis crossing the skewer axis at right angles, a driving connection between said skewer and said lever arm to turn the latter while said skewer is rotated, a joint piece pivoted at the free end of said lever arm about an axiszpara'llel to'the pivot axis of said lever arm, guiding means in engagement with said joint piece to turn the latter about its pivot axis while saidlever arm is turned, and a knife-carrying arm pivoted with its one end on said joint piece about an axis at right angles to the pivot axis of said joint piece.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, saidguiding means comprising an arm connected to said joint piece and having aiguiding face, and astationary member inengagement withsaid guiding face.

4. In a .iruit or vegetable .peeler the combination of .a rotatable skewer, .a .lever .arm pivoted about an axis crossing Ltheskewer axis .at right angles, audrivingiconneotion between said skewer and said lever arm to turn .the latter while said skewer is rotated, .a joint piece pivoted at the free end of saidlever. arm about an axis parallelto the pivot axis of said lever arm, .a slotted arm connected .to said joint pieceand extending substantially in the direction of said lever arm pivot, a stationary member in engagement with the ,slot of the slotted arm, and akniie-ca-rrying member being pivoted to said joint piece about an axis at 3 right angles .tothe pivot axis ofsaicl joint piece.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, said slotted arm including an axle engaging in said joint piece and said knife-carrying member being mounted on said axle.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4, said slotted arm being a piece of wire bent in the shape of a wire loop the ends of which engage said joint piece and constitute journals for said knife-carrying arm, said stationary member engaging said loop at a point spaced from the pivot axes of said lever arm and said joint piece.

7. A device as claimed in claim 4, said slotted arm being wire loop the ends of which are secured to said joint piece, and the joint piece including at least one lateral stub axle at right angles to the pivot of said piece on said lever arm, said knife-carrying member being mounted on said axle.

FRITZ FREITAG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are. of :record .in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,490,493 Tenney Apr. 15, 1924 1,730,888 Heumann Oct. '8, 1929 2,075,551 Stahl Mar. .30, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 642,730 Germany ..Mar. 13, 1937 210,809 Switzerland Oct. .16, 1940 

